notes:
Easy, classic pattern that will be very wearable. I intended all along to give this shawlette to a friend, but parting with it will still be difficult. I didn't get to knit the whole ruffle -- 100% my own fault, as I substituted a fingering-weight yarn (for laceweight), upped the needle size, and blissfully ignored gauge issues. I'll definitely revisit this pattern for myself.

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So, back to Masterpiece Mystery... this is an addiction I've cultivated since childhood (credit the Edward Gorey intro for that one), and luckily I married someone who enjoys it, too.

The most recent Poirot episodes have been beautifully shot, and the wardrobes and sets are magnificent, but the actual stories... oy vey. I know that David Suchet would like to finish the entire Poirot catalog, but I get the impression that they're now scraping the bottom of the barrel (not the best Agatha Christie has to offer).

I'm also getting caught up on Wallander -- Kenneth Branagh is fantastic, and the whole milieu is evocative (plus that amazing theme song by Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo). That said, Scandinavian crime fiction and TV series seem particularly awful to read and watch given the terrible events in Norway this past week. My heart goes out to my family's homeland.

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On a more uplifting note, my friends are in the midst of a baby boom! So many opportunities to knit wee sweaters and the like.

I'm branching out and trying a new pattern, the little garter cardigan by Ragga Eiriksdottir (from Knitting Iceland). Don't worry -- the shocking pink yarn is all waste yarn -- there will be no gaudy contrast in the finished product. I absolutely love how Ragga incorporates an i-cord edge as you knit the body. It's very clever, and Elizabeth Zimmermann would highly approve! The pattern is pithy and expects you to use your noodle as you knit -- it would be very easy to miss the instructions for buttonholes. Susan B. Anderson just posted a very handy tutorial on how to do a crochet provisional cast-on that works well for this cardi.

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in other news...

- Spotify is now available in the U.S.! Are you using it? I am! It's pretty handy and user-friendly.

- The fall 2011 issue of Knitscene is out, and some of the projects are just lovely! I've let my Interweave Knits subscription lapse (there's never anything in there that I want to knit anymore) -- perhaps it's time to switch to Knitscene.

I loved getting caught up here - shared the Julia Roberts prank of Facebook. That was totally fun. As for the baby sweater - you rock. You are the queen of baby sweaters!!(Cool that you got the china hutch - someone looking out for you)

Love, love, love the Citron! And that cardigan is the one that caught my eye, too -- though Shelter seems like lovely stuff, I was wondering about using Cascade instead ... As for Poirot, I totally agree: they look so lovely, but sometimes the stories are not up to the costumes. Hope you're surviving the heat!p.s. Super cute baby cardigan!

Thanks for the inspiration! I was just looking at some laceweight in my stash and wondering what I was going to do with it. It will be some time before I get to it with what feels like a zillion WIPs.

I love that you love knitting and Masterpiece. I FEEL you on the Agatha Christie. I really enjoyed ZEN the past few weeks. Rufus Sewell is dreamy. Also keep an eye out for new Inspector Lewis' this fall! Yay!

You've inspired me! I was just looking at some laceweight in the stash this week and wondering what the heck I'm going to do with it. However there are too many things in progress to start something new now.

I am so glad you like Masterpiece too! I completely feel you on the Agatha Christie. Great production value, but sadface for the stories themselves.

Have you caught ZEN yet? Rufus Sewell. sigh.

And stay tuned as those t.v. folks say, I hear that Inspector Lewis will start up next fall!

Beautiful Citron! Makes me want to cast on. I always love your love for the same shows and music that I do. I have been streaming Midsomer Murders on Netflix, they are wonderful. Now those baby knits...instant love!

My first trip to our site, glad to hea someone is still studying latin I thought it had dissapeared from the syllabus of the world altogether. Many fond memories of me latin studies. Love your knitting and links to patterns. Goind to try the slouchy cable beret looks great

I LOVE your Citron...I mean, your Framboise. :) The color is so, so pretty, and I'm glad you enjoyed knitting it! I know it's a lot of Stockinette, especially there at the end...

Oh, I miss Masterpiece Mystery! We don't have any sort of tv recording device anymore (well, my husband has been meaning to fix it for two years) and I seem to always be doing something baby-related on Sunday nights. One day I'll see those Poirot episodes!